Ministry of Jal Shakti
Over 61% Wells Monitored By Central Ground Water Board Register Rise In Ground Water Level
Groundwater levels in certain parts of the country are declining because of continuous withdrawal due to reasons such as increased demand of fresh water for various uses, vagaries of rainfall, increased population, industrialization and urbanisation.
To have information on groundwater situation for timely interventions, Central Ground Water Board  is periodically monitoring the ground water levels throughout the country on a regional scale, through a network of monitoring wells. In order to assess the long-term fluctuation in ground water levels, the water level data collected by CGWB during November 2022 has been compared with the decadal mean of November . Analysis of water level data indicates that about 61.1% of the wells monitored have registered rise in ground water level.
Further, Water being State subject, the efforts to effectively harvest the rain water including sustainable groundwater management fall under States’ mandate, however, a number of steps has been taken by Central Government in this regard which can be seen at https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2023/02/2023021742.pdf. However, some of them are listed as under.
Government of India is implementing Jal Shakti Abhiyan  in the country in which special emphasis is being given for rainwater harvesting/groundwater recharge. First JSA was launched in 2019 in water stressed blocks of 256 districts which continued during the years 2021, 2022 also  with the primary aim to effectively harvest the monsoon rainfall through creation of artificial recharge structures, watershed management, recharge and reuse structures, intensive afforestation and awareness generation etc. JSA for the year 2023 have been launched by the President of India on 04 March 2023 with the theme “Source Sustainability for Drinking Water”.
The Prime Minister has launched Amrit Sarovar Mission on 24th April 2022. The Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav for rainwater harvesting/recharge.
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs  has formulated Model Building Bye Laws , 2016 for the States/UTs. As per MBBL, all buildings having a plot size of 100 Sq.m. or, more shall mandatorily include the complete proposal of rainwater harvesting. 35 States/ UTs have adopted the features of the Bye Laws.
In addition, Several States have done notable work in the ﬁeld of water conservation/rainwater harvesting such as ‘Mukhyamantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan’ in Rajasthan, ‘Jalyukt Shibar’ in Maharashtra, ‘Sujalam Sufalam Abhiyan’ in Gujarat, ‘Mission Kakatiya’ in Telangana, 'Neeru Chettu’ in Andhra Pradesh, 'Jal Jeevan Hariyali' in Bihar, ‘Jal Hi Jeevan’ in Haryana, 'Pani Bachao Paise Kamao' scheme in Punjab and 'Kudimaramath' scheme in Tamil Nadu etc.
Government of India is actively working on ‘Interlinking of Rivers’  program as one of the interventions for sustainable management of water resources in the country. Under the National Perspective Plan  for water transfer from water surplus to water deficit basins, the National Water Development Agency  has identified 30 links . The details of river linking projects and present status are given at Annexure.
Further, the Ken- Betwa Link project  is the first link under NPP approved by the Central Government in December 2021 with an estimated cost of Rs 44,605.00 Cr with Central support of Rs 39,317.00 Cr. The project is planned to be completed in a period of 8 years.
The cooperation of States is paramount in the implementation of ILR projects and thus all efforts are being made by this Department to address the apprehensions/disagreement for water sharing with States so that the these projects are taken to the stage of implementation.
Implementation of Ken-Betwa link project has started because of active consultation/persuasion and its benefits are likely to motivate concerned States to give their consent in implementing other ILR projects.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
ANNEXURE
STATUS OF INTER BASIN WATER TRANSFER LINK SCHEMES UNDER
Peninsular Component
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Sl. No
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Name
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States benefited
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Status
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1
|
|
-
Mahanadi  - Godavari  link
|
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AP & Odisha
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|
FR completed
|
|
-
Alternate Mahanadi  - Rushikulya – Godavari  link
|
|
AP& Odisha
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|
FR completed
|
|
2
|
|
Godavari  - Krishna  link
|
|
AP
|
|
FR completed
|
|
3
|
|
-
Godavari  - Krishna  link
|
|
Telangana
|
|
FR completed
|
|
-
Alternate Godavari  - Krishna  link|
|
Telangana
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
4
|
|
Godavari  - Krishna  link
|
|
Telangana & AP
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
5
|
|
-
Krishna  - Pennar  link
|
|
AP
|
|
FR completed
|
|
-
Alternate Krishna  - Pennar  link|
|
AP
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
6
|
|
Krishna  – Pennar link
|
|
AP
|
|
Draft DPR completed
|
|
7
|
|
Krishna  – Pennar link
|
|
AP & Karnataka
|
|
Draft DPR completed
|
|
8
|
|
-
Pennar  - Cauvery  link
|
|
AP, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry
|
|
FR completed
|
|
b. Alternate Pennar  - Cauvery  link|
|
AP, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
9
|
|
Cauvery  - Vaigai -Gundar link
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
10
|
|
-
Parbati –Kalisindh - Chambal link
|
|
MP & Rajasthan
|
|
FR completed
|
|
-
Modified Parbati – Kalisindh-Chambal link 
|
|
MP & Rajasthan
|
|
PFR completed 
|
|
11
|
|
Damanganga - Pinjal link

|
|
Maharashtra 
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
12
|
|
Par-Tapi-Narmada link 
|
|
Gujarat
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
13
|
|
Ken-Betwa link
|
|
Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh
|
|
DPR completed &
implementation initiated.
|
|
14
|
|
Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link
|
|
Tamil Nadu and Kerala
|
|
FR completed
|
|
15
|
|
Bedti - Varda link
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
DPR completed
|
|
16
|
|
Netravati – Hemavati link|
|
Karnataka
|
|
PFR completed
PFR – Pre Feasibility Report, FR – Feasibility Report, DPR – Detailed Project ReportDue to pending consensus on Manibhadra and Inchampalli dams, Alternate study to divert unutilized waters of Godavari river was carried out and DPR of Godavari  – Krishna  - Pennar  – Cauvery  link projects completed. Godavari-Cauvery  link project has been prepared comprising of Godavari  - Krishna , Krishna - Pennar  and Pennar-Cauvery link projects.Further studies are not taken up since after implementation of Yettinahole project by Govt. of Karnataka, no surplus water is available in Netravati basin for diversion through this link.
Himalayan Component
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Sl. No.
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Name of the Link
|
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Country/ States benefited
|
|
Status
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|
1.
|
|
Kosi-Mechi link
|
|
Bihar & Nepal
|
|
PFR completed
|
|
2.
|
|
Kosi-Ghaghra link
|
|
Bihar & U.P & Nepal
|
|
Draft FR completed
|
|
3.
|
|
Gandak - Ganga link
|
|
U.P & Nepal
|
|
FR completed

|
|
4.
|
|
Ghaghra - Yamuna link
|
|
U.P & Nepal
|
|
FR completed

|
|
5.
|
|
Sarda - Yamuna link
|
|
U.P & Uttarakhand
|
|
FR completed
|
|
6.
|
|
Yamuna-Rajasthan link
|
|
Haryana & Rajasthan
|
|
FR completed
|
|
7.
|
|
Rajasthan-Sabarmati link
|
|
Rajasthan & Gujarat
|
|
FR completed
|
|
8.
|
|
Chunar-Sone Barrage link
|
|
Bihar & U.P
|
|
PFR completed
|
|
9.
|
|
Sone Dam - Southern Tributaries of Ganga link
|
|
Bihar & Jharkhand
|
|
PFR completed
|
|
10.
|
|
Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga  link
|
|
Assam, W.B & Bihar
|
|
FR completed
|
|
11.
|
|
Jogighopa-Tista-Farakka link 
|
|
Assam, W.B & Bihar
|
|
PFR completed

|
|
12.
|
|
Farakka-Sundarbans link
|
|
W.B
|
|
FR completed
|
|
13.
|
|
Ganga - Damodar-Subarnarekha link
|
|
W.B., Odisha& Jharkhand
|
|
FR completed
|
|
14.
|
|
Subarnarekha-Mahanadi link
|
|
W.B. &Odisha
|
|
FR completed
PFR – Pre Feasibility Report, FR – Feasibility Report, DPR – Detailed Project Report